The Washington critic., 1887-12-19
WASHINGTON, DEC. 10, 1887.
NOTHING "ouEER" ABOUT IT.

The New York sun has unearthed |
verbal confusion" in the title of the
srnatc's "Selcct Committee on the Cen
tcnnal of the Constitution and the Dis
covcry of America" and pounces upon
it ~ chccrily as II often does upon a
grammatical error in the columns of
some provincial contemporary. 1t has
also found an "incongruity" in the
work proposed. Ii it looks sharp it may
find n comma misplaced or Il letter up
side down. But this is what the Sun
SAYS:
Tic verbal confusion in the title of this com
mlttoc Is worthy OF the inconguity in the work
proposed.
Were It n Committee on the Constitution of
tho United States and on the Discovery of Amer
lea, or n committee TO celebrate the hundredth
anniversary of the Constitution and the four
hundredth anniversary of the discovery, its
nninc might be more Ineligible. But
this Is u small matter compared with
practically uniting tho celebration Of events
so wide apart In point Of time and so
little related in other respects.
The key to this queer combination OF historical
celebrations is TO be found in n project formed
TO hold an industrial exposition at Washington,
which Congress and the Treasury are relied upon
10 carry through. II Is hoped In some way to
start this affair In 1850, and then to push II for
ward under Government patronage until 1892,
when IL will appear In full glory. Only in this
way can we account for the proposal to unite
the consideration of events which are further
apart than the settlement Of jamestown and the
adoption Of the Constitution.
We might suggest that the "key" to
the hypercriticism of our esteemed con-
temporary is to be found in the question
Of location rather than in that of phrase
ology. The opinion largely prevails on
Manhattan Island that if any glory or
profit is to be made out Of the proposed
Centennial it should GO to thrifty
Gotham, and not, as Congress proposes,
to the National Capital.
But we cannot see that there is any
thing "queer" in the combination of
celebrations, nor anything improper in
holding them both at Washington, nor
anything criminal in the establishment
here as incidental or supplemental to
these great national and international
observances, of permanent industrial
exposition 'under government patron
age"
1t has never been disguised by the
Board of Promotion Of the celebrations
on the contrary it has been steadily
and prominently kept in view from the
outset-that the outgrowth of the Cen
tennial of 'S9 and the Quadri- Centennial
of '92 would take an expositional form,
in the interest of the arts, the commerce
and the better mutual relations of the
countries contributing TO and partici-
pating in these praiseworthy undertake
lgs. Such is the ultimate design.
That Washington, from the very fact
VI its being the scat of Government,
With the nucleus of grand and diversi-
fed exhibition already at hand and
available in the collections of its own
departments, is suitable above all other
places in the country for the purpose in.
dicated, we hold to be out of the limits
of disputation.
As 10 the events to be celebrated,
however widely apart they may be in
point of time" and however little re.
lated in other respects" ii so happens
that the nations of this continent who
bear political kinship to the United
States and therefore have sympathetic
interest in the origin and progress o.
our constitutional system, claim similar
historic share in the name and fame o
Columbus, in both the epoch and the
outcome of his achievements.
The Spanish-American countries o
the Western Hemisphere need no in
struction as to the nature and import, t.
them as well as 10 us, of what wa
wrought for the new world by the dis
coveries of the great Genoese explorer
and stand in equal readiness with ltal,
and Old Spain, moved indeed, b,
more powerful inspiration, born o
subsequent events, to commemorate tn
four hundredth anniversary Of the mos
auspicious event in human history.
If we were sure that the Sun woul
vote for the bill, if it were relieve
of it's "verbal confusion" and ''incon
gruities,' we should urge upon Congress
the Importance of amending its obiet
tionable language, but we can assure ou
New York friends that neither Congress
nor the people will consent to the elimi
nation Of Washington and the substitr
tion of any other city as the place fo
the projected gathering of the nations
Mr.. RICHARD MANsILL of Rock IslanC
H., in his "Almanac of Meteorolog
and Planetary Phenomena" for 1885,
announces that for January the tempe
ature will probably average above tn
mean Of the season, which relieves tn
outlook materially for the poorer classt
Of our large Northern cities, although
may not suit the coal trade so well. TIL
most violent electric storms ofthc mont
arc expected about the sth and 9th, III
e3d and the 2sth and the Goth.
The INTERVIEW with Mr.. Wheatol
who, from his high official position
the Order of Railway Conductors, ma
be considered stand(d authority on a
matters pertaining u the interests
the business, sets fofth very clearly I'll
objects of the legislation proposed q